SOS Children's Villages Nigeria has distributed working tools and equipment worth €300,000 to 206 young people in Lagos under its Empowering Lagos Youths (ELY) project. The project, which started in January 2025 and ended in December 2026, aimed to move young people away from poverty, provide them with decent jobs, and help them start their own businesses. The items distributed included solar panel installation kits, HP laptops, Canon EOS cameras, hair styling equipment, tailoring machines, and IT tools.
The Country Director of SOS Children's Villages Nigeria, Egosa Erose, said the project was deliberately built to do more than hand out tools. "The idea is to accelerate the empowerment of young people to move them away from poverty and provide them with opportunity for decent job and also empower them to start up their own business," he said. Erose added that the project was funded by SOS Children's Villages' sister organisation in Germany, Children’s Villages Worldwide (CVW), with local partners, trainers, hairdressers, and artisans forming an ecosystem for sustainability.
The 206 youths went through rigorous training before the distribution, including vocational training skills, entrepreneurship, mental health, and psychosocial support. Erose said the training was not enough for them to deal with situations they would face while doing their own business or working. The project covered the entire Lagos State, with an open and transparent selection process. Young people applied, and those who understood SOS's selection criteria were given the opportunity.
The items distributed were personalized, with each participant getting what matched the trade they trained for. Erose said the target was 200 participants, but SOS exceeded it, achieving more than 200, slightly more than 206. The Lagos State Government is a partner in the project, not financially but in development agenda. SOS operates in 136 countries and will continue to run projects that impact children and young people.
Erose disclosed that the entire project for two years cost about €300,000. He assured that SOS has a mechanism in place to ensure the tools are not sold, with post-empowerment support available. Celia Dalyop, a photographer, received a Canon EOS camera and an HP laptop, saying she was grateful for the opportunity. She got to know about the programme through a friend in Abuja who works in SOS Abuja branch.
Ashogbon Goodness Tibiebi, a data analyst, also expressed her joy, saying she felt happy and grateful for the milestone. She got the link through a relative and signed up, training for six months with no prior experience in data analysis. Goodness plans to build herself, help others, and eventually teach data analysis in schools and privately.
The Empowering Lagos Youths project is part of SOS Children's Villages Nigeria's efforts to support young people in achieving their aspirations and becoming responsible individuals. The project demonstrates the organization's commitment to empowering young people and providing them with opportunities for decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Key points
- The project aimed to move young people away from poverty and provide them with decent jobs and opportunities to start their own businesses.
- The 206 youths received personalized tools and equipment worth €300,000 after undergoing rigorous training.
- The project was funded by SOS Children's Villages' sister organisation in Germany, Children’s Villages Worldwide (CVW).
